What Happens to Trash in a Landfill?

Identify and describe the problems and concerns people have about burying trash in landfills and justify their position on the matter.

Explain why the process of decomposition is very slow inside a landfill.

Evaluate the EPA’s five methods of integrated solid waste management and determine whether the EPA’s recommendation concerning landfills is justified.

Lesson Type:

Discussion

Group Work

Sustainability Topic:

Waste Reduction

GEF Program Category:

Waste Reduction Challenge

Time Needed:50 minutes

Standards Addressed:Geography Standard 15: Understand how physical systems affect human systems. Benchmark # 4: Understand relationships between population density and environmental quality (e.g., the denser the population the greater the amount of waste produced and the need to dispose of it safely).

Geography Standard 16: Understand the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources.Benchmark # 2: Know strategies for wise management and use of resources (e.g., community programs for recycling and reuse).Benchmark # 5: Understand the role of technology in resource acquisition and use, and its impact on the environment (e.g., the more resources used in manufacturing results in more waste that needs to be disposed of in a safe manner).

Geography Standard 18: Understand global development and environmental issues. Benchmark # 2: Understand the possible impact that present conditions and patterns of consumption, production and population growth might have on the future spatial organization of Earth.Benchmark # 4: Understand why different points of view exist regarding contemporary geographic issues (e.g., some communities find the recycling and incineration of waste too costly or impractical, and use a landfill solution as one of their primary methods of disposal)

Technology Standard 3: Understand the relationship among science, technology, society and the individual.Benchmark # 3: Know ways in which technology has influenced the course of history (e.g., improvements in sanitation and waste management- garbage dump vs. sanitary landfill).